How to Test the Spirits?

[Hobie]

Are you saying satan is in me? @Hobie

No my sister, what scripture tells us is that it can and does happen, and that many will have to be 'healed of evil spirits and infirmities' before the end, as it will lead them away from God if they are not cleansed of them..

Luke 8:2
And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,

 

[Hobie]

I don't think it will always be in complete harmony with the law of God. As we know God contradicts His laws. So God can command His human representative to go against His law. In fact, when God told Joshua to command the His people to march around Jericho etc. and to kill men, women, children and animals Caleb had every right to challenge Joshua and say he cannot have heard that from God as it contradicts what is written by God Himself. Command #6 Thou shalt not kill. Yet this same God commands them to kill, in fact God Himself will start the killing off by crushing those who live in the walls of Jericho. They from there were commanded by God to go throughout Canaan and kill everything that has breath. Again God joined in and kill more with hailstones than His chosen people did with their swords.
Then 1 Kings 22:19-23 'The LORD put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets....' Not Satan but God.
How do we know we are judging the spirits correctly, if they are sent from God to do good or not good, or from Satan to do good or not good? One sure way is to go straight to God and ask Him directly and listen to His Spirit reply directly through whatever means He chooses to use at that given time. Be it through a dream, vision, nature, book, prophet and many many other means.

That is what the deceiver wants people to think, but God never contradicts His Law as it is part of His character, its what Christ showed and scripture tells us.
Hebrews 13:8 King James Version
8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

 

[dev553344]

Yes @Hobie spirits will administer to us, both God and his angels and the devil and his angels. It is therefore important to be able to identify between the two. There are two ways I am confident that we can know if it is God, we know them thru their fruits:

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Bible Gateway passage: Galatians 5:22-25 - New King James Version

1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. Bible Gateway passage: 1 John 4:1-6 - New King James Version

 

[Hobie]

Yes @Hobie spirits will administer to us, both God and his angels and the devil and his angels. It is therefore important to be able to identify between the two. There are two ways I am confident that we can know if it is God, we know them thru their fruits:

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Bible Gateway passage: Galatians 5:22-25 - New King James Version

1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. Bible Gateway passage: 1 John 4:1-6 - New King James Version

But if they are useless chatter and shouting which does not edify, we should not be telling people we have the 'spirit' of God, as plainly Christ had to deal with a lot of 'spirits' and notice what kind..
Matthew 8:16
When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

Luke 8:2
And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,

Luke 9:42
And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.

And we see we will have to face them even now at the end...

Revelation 16:14
For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

 

[dev553344]

But if they are useless chatter and shouting which does not edify, we should not be telling people we have the 'spirit' of God, as plainly Christ had to deal with a lot of 'spirits' and notice what kind..
Matthew 8:16
When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

Luke 8:2
And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,

Luke 9:42
And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.

And we see we will have to face them even now at the end...

Revelation 16:14
For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

I don't know @Hobie really what you're getting at, but saying people are possessed will get you action from the moderators. It is not a Christian thing to do.

 

[dev553344]

Also @Hobie I should say that if it glorifies God and is good and the truth then it should not be shunned to say it is not from God.

As far as edifying, I think you could edify a homosexual into sinning more, Evil edifies evil and Good edifies good. I think you're benchmark is off.

Also the being in the body of Christ with the Holy Spirit comforter prevents us from being possessed.

 

[Big Boy Johnson]

spirits will administer to us, both God and his angels and the devil and his angels. It is therefore important to be able to identify between the two.

All spirits loyal to the Lord will NOT be violating God's word!

All spirits loyal to satan... will be in opposition to God's Word.

 

[Hobie]

I don't know @Hobie really what you're getting at, but saying people are possessed will get you action from the moderators. It is not a Christian thing to do.

I am not saying they are possessed, I am stating that in the islands, people that are possessed, say things that no one can understand and either it is jiberish or the unclean spirit possessing the person is putting words of some kind controlling what he says. So we have to test and discern what 'spirit' it is..

 

[12question]

That is what the deceiver wants people to think, but God never contradicts His Law as it is part of His character, its what Christ showed and scripture tells us.
Hebrews 13:8 King James Version
8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

 

[12question]

I agree that Satan is a deceiver. But what is clear is God can do whatever He wants as He is accountable to no one. I did show you from scripture that God definitely changes His instructions and does some weird stuff. And He isn't about to stop according to scripture. Personally, I'm fine with God killing and not killing, telling people to kill or not kill. He has His reasons and whether He tell anyone why that's up to Him also. In the past, like you, I tried to defend God, His character, ways, unchangeableness etc. but I appreciate His supreme position at the top, above everything and everyone as He created and owns everything. Now that is good news. I certainly don't need anyone to tell me that I'm right or wrong. I don't really care what people think of me or God. As all my cares I just hand them over to Him. Now that's cool. So liberating. I am free to do whatever I want for my Father and no one can stop me. What about you?

 

[12question]

Exactly!

2 Timothy 3:16
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Sure. Scripture is profitable for a number of purposes. So is walking. So is eating rice. These are all profitable but not essential. I can continue living a healthy existence without walking or eating rice. I can certainly continue to maintain an increasingly healthy relationship with God without the scriptures.

 

[12question]

I agree that scripture is profitable for certain purposes but not essential.
Walking is profitable. Eating rice is profitable. But they are not essential for a healthy life. I don't require scripture to live a godly life. My relationship with my Creators has been greatly benefited by not making use of scripture. My diet has changed and the Spirit of Christ is so much more a part of my everyday life as a result.
Has applying scripture to my daily life benefited me over the years? Yes it had. But even moreso has the personal intimate relationship with the Spirit of God without the scripture, that is, since I repented of my relationship with what is called the bible.

 

[12question]

I agree that scripture is profitable for certain purposes but not essential.
Walking is profitable. Eating rice is profitable. But they are not essential for a healthy life. I don't require scripture to live a godly life. My relationship with my Creators has been greatly benefited by not making use of scripture. My diet has changed and the Spirit of Christ is so much more a part of my everyday life as a result.
Has applying scripture to my daily life benefited me over the years? Yes it had. But even moreso has the personal intimate relationship with the Spirit of God without the scripture, that is, since I repented of my relationship with what is called the bible.

Just wanted to add that the bible had become to me an idol, something that came between me and God. It was my first port of call in just about everything in my life, what to believe, how to live, to find answers to questions that arose. But after God opened my eyes to this unhealthy practice I repented and go straight to Him and wait to hear from Him directly. We have this personal more intimate relationship these days. Interacting with God's Spirit and Him interacting with me beyond the bible has enabled me to know God more and enabled me to love others more than ever before. My faith in God, my boldness to speak revealed truth has increased, my fear of man, the future, Satan, the attraction to the things of this world have decreased dramatically. My love for my spiritual and natural family has grown. And God giving me revelation of future events has noticeably changed my life, revelation that is way beyond what is in the bible record, which of course is so extremely limited in the scope of its content of revealed truth. As I share this testimony, more and more people are having their eyes open to this as well. I thank my God for the privilege of sharing the God given experiences I have with Him and for receiving a massive increase in knowledge of His mercy and grace that has transformed my understanding of my Creator, the Creator of all things.

 

[Hobie]

I agree that Satan is a deceiver. But what is clear is God can do whatever He wants as He is accountable to no one. I did show you from scripture that God definitely changes His instructions and does some weird stuff. And He isn't about to stop according to scripture. Personally, I'm fine with God killing and not killing, telling people to kill or not kill. He has His reasons and whether He tell anyone why that's up to Him also. In the past, like you, I tried to defend God, His character, ways, unchangeableness etc. but I appreciate His supreme position at the top, above everything and everyone as He created and owns everything. Now that is good news. I certainly don't need anyone to tell me that I'm right or wrong. I don't really care what people think of me or God. As all my cares I just hand them over to Him. Now that's cool. So liberating. I am free to do whatever I want for my Father and no one can stop me. What about you?

No, He stays true and is consistent, its us who change the way we look at things, take for example such as Creation. Some Christians are now looking at and saying, well it may have taken billions of years to make the earth and the heavens, and God was just kind of there, thats all. Is that what the Bible says, of course not..

 

[Pearl]

Just wanted to add that the bible had become to me an idol, something that came between me and God. It was my first port of call in just about everything in my life, what to believe, how to live, to find answers to questions that arose.

I'm so glad you've seen that. It was revealed to me a few years ago whilst I was in hospital and had no bible with me. The bible itself can become a god. It is no substitute for the reality of our connection to our heavenly Father through prayer.

 

[12question]

No, He stays true and is consistent, its us who change the way we look at things, take for example such as Creation. Some Christians are now looking at and saying, well it may have taken billions of years to make the earth and the heavens, and God was just kind of there, thats all. Is that what the Bible says, of course not..

So God is a killer, destroyer, Provider of delusions, is jealous, a hater .... and is consistent in being these? All these characteristics of your God are plainly seen in your bible, aren't they? I'm sure you can easily find them in there. Let me know if you need help finding the references.

 

[12question]

its us who change the way we look at things

Agreed. We often do. And it seems Pearl too agrees with you. We ourselves change and the way we look at things change and isn't that great. The way I looked at Satan, thought about him, treated him, my attitude towards him has definitely changed. I once hated him, dispised him, wished for his destruction and never ending torment. But that all changed over the course of a few years. I pity him, prayed for him and have asked for God to show mercy for this being He designed and created, numerous times, with tears. I know God heard my prayers for my enemy and responded in a way that has changed my life. God is fantastic, His mercy and grace seems to know no limit.

 

[Big Boy Johnson]

I can certainly continue to maintain an increasingly healthy relationship with God without the scriptures.

That kinda of thinking comes from the forces of darkness. It ain't true boo!

Matthew 4:4
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Scripture... is where we find what the Lord has said.

Without God's Word one is primed for deception, to believe the lies of the devil... so as, we don't need the scriptures

 

[doctrox]

From the OP:

How to Test the Spirits?​

Simply, you plead the blood of Jesus Christ on them (1 John 4).

Meanwhile, Buddha's still dead, Mohammed's still dead; but Jesus' resurrection from the dead to life was witnessed by ~600 people, many of whom we know of by name today.

Jesus IS the Christ, the one christened of God, and is the ONE and ONLY true Authority, above all "authorities."

Demons tremble; believers do not. Learn how to wield your authority.

 

[Peterlag]

How do you test the spirits, and prophets to see if they are false, as we have many that say they have the 'spirit' or the 'spirit allows them to speak in tongues', or they were told to do or say things 'by a spirit', or give 'prophecies or interpretation from a spirit', etc.. Scripture definably tells us to do this...
1 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

There are indeed many false spirits and false prophets out in the world today, which are deceiving many. So how can we recognize a false spirit or the spirit of a false prophet or teacher and don’t be taken in by them. And how do we test them?

Well the Bible lists a series of tests that can be applied to test the spirits or prophets to determine whether they are genuine or not. Taken individually, it is possible to counterfeit many of these tests, but collectively, they provide an impassable barrier to these false spirits or prophets, as even in Bible times we see them at work.

Acts 16:16
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

Those with these false spirits can quote scripture or have demons help them and have some of their 'divinations' come true, but they can still be false and lead God's people astray. John says that we must test the spirits to see whether they are from God and this means that we must test what the spirits are saying, or doing, or telling us to say. So lets see the tests..

1) A true spirit or prophet's message will be in complete harmony with the word of God and the law of God.
Isaiah 8:20
To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

2) A true spirit or prophet's will produce the attributes given us in the scripture, goodness, righteousness and truth as well as love and more.
Ephesians 5:9
(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance:..

3) A true spirit or prophet gives counsel to edify the church, and has a grace and wisdom from God.
Luke 2:40
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
1 Corinthians 14:3-5
3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
5 I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

4) A true spirit or prophet will exalt Christ as the Son of God and the Saviour of mankind, and lift up the church, the body of Christ.
1 John 4:11-15
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

Ephesians 2:11-13
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

5) The true spirit or prophet will bear good fruit and give Gods truth with great authority.

Matthew 7:20
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Matthew 7:29
For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Mark 1:22
And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

Luke 1:17
And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Jesus is the supreme example, and He spoke those things which He had seen and heard from the Father, and we see the spirit preparing and turning the people to Christ.

Try this...
For an in-depth look at how to walk by the spirit...
www.carb-fat.com/walking-by-the-spirit.html